About WSU-Decision Aid System

A collaborative project between WSU Extension and WSU Agricultural Research Center.

WSU-DAS is a web-based platform designed to transfer time-sensitive information to decision makers
in the tree fruit industry. It runs insect, disease, disorder, and horticultural models to estimate
the current status of the issue and links that to appropriate management and pesticide recommendations.

DAS is a comprehensive system that incorporates weather data from Grower Supply Co. and Environment
Canada BC, weather forecasts from Dark Sky, historic weather data from Daymet, and other information
sources such as the BC Tree Fruit Production Guide. DAS attempts to support reasonably common smartphones
and tablets (iOS and Android) as well as desktop computers in all functions. As designed, DAS also
has a data/account management subsystem that simplifies use for decision makers and allows them to
tailor the information they receive.

DAS for British Columbia

Climate change is affecting the timing of pests and disease emergence during the growing season,
and the tree fruit industry in the Okanagan valley in British Columbia, Canada wanted a tool that
provides time-sensitive decision management support. The successful Washington

State Decision Aid System (DAS) was adapted to the Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada in 2018.
Known as BC DAS, this exciting expansion into a new region was made possible through the cooperation
of the Canadian fruit growing industry in the Okanagan valley and local project partners including the
Okanagan-Kootenay Sterile Insect Release Program (SIR), BC Tree Fruits, BC Fruit Grower’s Association,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Summerland Research and Development Centre and the BC Ministry of
Agriculture. The Sterile Insect Release Program (SIR) is covering ongoing annual costs relating to BC
DAS, and the tool is now available free of charge to Okanagan tree fruit growers. WSU is excited to
be partnering with the Canadian tree fruit industry.

Initial project funding to support the development, testing and launch of BC DAS has been provided
in part by the Sterile Insect Release Program (SIR) and in part by the Governments of Canada and
British Columbia through the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC under Growing Forward 2, a
federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The project was identified as a priority agricultural
adaptation project in the Okanagan Adaptation Strategies (2016) and by the Okanagan Adaptation
Working Group through a program delivered by the BC Agriculture & Food Climate Action Initiative.

A Tool Used By The Industry

We performed user surveys in 2008, 2010, and 2013 to estimate usage and areas where we needed to improve the
system. The results showed that DAS is used by the majority of IPM decision makers in the industry in Washington State.

Roughly 400 managers or management consultants use DAS on a regular basis on >90% of the acreage throughout the season.

In all three surveys users estimated that the value for DAS to the industry was roughly $16.5M/yr.

Users felt that DAS clarified treatment timing, improved their overall management program, helped them
choose pesticides for best efficacy and least effects on natural enemies, and was a good source of
general IPM information.

Users also reported better pest control and lower management costs.

DAS users indicated that 81% of them shared information on DAS with others, suggesting that its impact
is broader than what can be estimated by just counting those who regularly access the web site.

Testimonies By DAS Users

“Invaluable tool which I and other consultants use daily.”

“You have done wonders. It’s by far the best DSS [decision support system] anywhere.”

“DAS will be great for new people coming into agriculture. It has been a help to those of us near going
out. Our company has an internship program for young people entering agriculture. I encourage them to
use this program. When you advise to farm, you need the weather every day. Thank you!”

Near-real time data:

Forecasting powered by:

Historic data:

Mission Statement

The WSU-Tree Fruit Decision Aid System (DAS) is the premier source of time-sensitive information for management
in Washington State tree fruits. We are open and eager to collaborate with scientists to integrate tools,
management information, and models into DAS that will assist Washington tree fruit growers make the best
management decisions and remain competitive in the world economy.

Strategic Vision

The development of DAS is guided by four goals and principles:

Implement science-based tools that help with management of time-sensitive problems in entomology, plant
pathology, horticulture, soil science and other allied sciences.

Use technology to simplify and expand our ability to provide information in a broad range of areas to
decision-makers in the tree fruit industry.

Work with scientists to implement web and smartphone-based solutions to key technical problems faced by
the tree fruit industry.

Collaborate with other WSU-DSS and researchers in the region to implement science-based tools for the
transfer of time-sensitive information to decision-makers. This includes sharing tools already developed
by WSU-Tree Fruit DAS or implementing tools developed by other groups.

Interested In Adding Your Model To DAS?

Resources Available

WSU-Extension supports a full-time programmer whose function is to help develop, update, and maintain the
programming infrastructure of DAS. No funding is available for new model implementation, but we will work
with scientists to implement their models based on constraints of our programmers’ time.

User fees are used to contract additional programmers, support the manager/educator, and any associated
costs with running the DAS web site and user training.

DAS has programming in place that allows us to provide environmental data, forecasts, account management,
video and text help files, access to the WSU-Crop Protection Guide (EB0419), Orchard Pest Management Online
or other web-based resources.

We conduct periodic on-line surveys of particular model features and usefulness and use Google Analytics data to evaluate use of DAS.

DAS accesses near-real time weather data from WSU AgWeatherNet with over 120 stations in Washington State.

We have on-line the NOAA National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) temperature records for the entire
continental US for the period of 2005–current. This data is both on the 3 x 3 mile grid (2005–current) and
the 1.5 x 1.5 miles high resolution data (2013–current). The data can be used to drive models depending on
forecasts (e.g., sunburn of apple) or provide historic information for any particular location in the US or
British Columbia to help validate or test models.

For British Columbia, we access near-real time weather data provided by stations from Grower Supply Co. and
Environment Canada BC. Forecast weather data is powered by Dark Sky, which provides high-resolution weather
data. In addition, Daymet weather data is used for historic averages.

Our Limitations

DAS is not a research center with resources that allow us to develop models from scratch. We will work with
faculty and other scientists to implement their models and management recommendations in a way that is useful
to tree fruit managers. Our expertise is focused on insects and mites, but we are willing and eager to work
with other scientists to fill out portions of DAS in their area of expertise.

The faculty or industry scientists must provide the validated model and work with us to make sure that it is
correctly implemented and answer all questions as to the validity of the models and recommendations.

Our team will work with the faculty and industry affiliated scientists to provide user training within the
tree fruit industry.

DAS is not a comprehensive listing of knowledge of all things tree fruit. It is focused only on transfer of
time-sensitive knowledge and the rapid processing of information needed for time-critical management decisions.